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Early
Detection
When breast cancer is found
and treated early, the chances for survival are better. Women
can take an active part in the early detection of breast
cancer by having regular screening mammograms and clinical
breast exams (breast exams performed by health professionals).
Some women also perform breast self-exams.
A screening
mammogram is the best tool available for finding breast cancer
early, before symptoms appear. A mammogram is a special kind
of x-ray. It is
different from a chest x-ray or x-rays of other parts of the
body. Screening mammograms are used to look for breast changes
in women who have no signs of breast cancer.
Mammograms can often detect
breast cancer before it can be felt. Also, a mammogram can
show small deposits of calcium in the breast. Although most
calcium deposits are benign, a cluster of very tiny specks of
calcium (called microcalcifications)
may be an early sign of cancer.
Although mammograms are the
best way to find breast cancer early, they do have some
limitations. A mammogram may miss some cancers that are
present (false negative) or may find things that turn out not
to be cancer (false positive). And detecting a tumor early
does not guarantee that a woman's life will be saved. Some
fast-growing cancers may already have spread to other parts of
the body before being detected.
Still, regularly scheduled
screening mammograms, together with clinical breast exams,
offer the best chance of finding and treating breast cancer
early. Studies show that mammograms reduce the risk of dying
from breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends
that women in their forties and older have mammograms on a
regular basis, every 1 to 2 years.
Women should talk with
their doctor about factors that can increase the risk for
breast cancer. Women of any age who are at higher risk for
this disease should ask their doctor when to begin and how
often to have screening mammograms and breast exams.
Some women perform monthly
breast self-exams to check for any changes in their breasts.
When doing a breast self-exam, it's important to remember that
each woman's breasts are different, and that changes can occur
because of aging, the menstrual
cycle, pregnancy, menopause,
or taking birth control pills or other hormones.
It is normal for the breasts to feel a little lumpy and
uneven. Also, it is common for a woman's breasts to be swollen
and tender right before or during her menstrual period.
Remember that for women in their forties and older, a monthly
breast self-exam is not a substitute for regularly scheduled
screening mammograms and clinical breast exams by a health
professional.
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